By Matthew Thomas Potter: For many people, boxing began with a name. For myself, and numerous others, that name was Oscar De La Hoya (39-6-0). Being so close to the era in which Oscar reigned makes it somewhat difficult to accurately gauge the Golden Boy’s influence, legacy and impact on the sport of boxing, and its associated industries.
The decline, and death, of boxing as a mainstream sport has been prolonged and agonizing. Once it was a sport that was welcomed into every home in America, and the likes of Ray Leonard, Muhammad Ali, George Foreman, Joe Frazier, Rocky Marciano and Mike Tyson were all household names. It was a sport that held its own against the elite of baseball, basketball and American football.
Although there are many complex reasons why boxing is no longer a mainstream sport; there are however, three obvious reasons that should be addressed when engaging in any kind of debate about this subject. The first reason is the plethora of sanctioning bodies, some bogus, many corrupt, all occasionally and unfathomably biased, each of whom hand out their own version of the World Titles.
This means that being the Champion of the World in any weight class loses an inextricable amount of prestige when there are three other men who all hold a similar accolade. And a dozen more who hold the same title from a less prestigious sanctioning body, of which there are many. This confuses fans, it muddies the waters of perception, and it often brings the politics of boxing, and the sport itself into a direct and debilitating confrontation.
The second primary reason for the decline of boxing as a mainstream sport is the Pay Per View event, which came to prominence in the 1990’s. A casual fan, or a potential fan, is not going to spend $50 to watch a fight in a sport to which he or she has only a passing interest. Pay Per View is an exclusive entity that is a major barrier to people who might become fans, actually becoming fans.
The third primary reason for the decline of boxing is morality. As western society becomes more politically correct, socially sensitive and critically emancipated it becomes morally taboo to admit to enjoying two men, usually from ethic minorities or lower socio-economic groups, stepping in the ring and beating each other up, risking brain damage or any number of other serious injuries, just for subjective reasons like their own personal glory, or our own entertainment.
So where does Oscar De La Hoya fit into all this? Again, it is all in the name. The sport of boxing needs name recognition, a flag bearer, someone to carry the sport on his back in times like these. Muhammad Ali was a name to be reckoned with, it was an unconventional name, it was assertive, strong and un-American. Ali reigned in a time when the actions of America herself in Vietnam and elsewhere we deemed as being very un-American. Ali tapped into the rebellious nature of American society, he became a figurehead of the anti-war and civil rights movements. In times like those you don’t forget a name or a personality like Muhammad Ali.
In the 1980’s Mike Tyson became synonymous with sporting excellence. The great wealth he acquired (and subsequently squandered) boldly represented the materialistic era in which he was undisputed sporting king. The mainstream marketability and fame of Iron Mike was first and foremost in the boxing world and beyond.
Ray Leonard, the likeable and wholesome All-American had massive crossover sports and mainstream cultural appeal. Men like Leonard made boxing one of the preeminent sports in the world. Marvellous Marvin, Iron Mike, Sugar Ray and The Real Deal are all names which provided an access point into the sport. They sound enigmatic, often roll off the tongue, and these names carry with them connotations of immense masculinity and pride which makes people stand up and take notice. Floyd ‘The Money’ Mayweather is not one of those names, but Oscar ‘The Golden Boy’ De La Hoya certainly is.
Oscar emerged into boxing superstardom during difficult times, with PPV strangling the sports search for new fans, the sanctioning bodies making a mockery of its highest accolades and the exploitation of fighters by promoters and managers continuing to go unchecked and unchallenged.
The Golden Boy brought new money and fresh blood into boxing, he was a handsome man who made those people who would not usually be interested in such a masculine pastime turn their heads and take notice. He was an intelligent, unassuming, engaging and articulate individual who could discuss his career and the sport in general with great insight and detail when appearing on television.
While the likes Mayweather Jr. posted occasionally drunken and childish rants about other fighters being “pussies” and generally behaved in an obnoxious, arrogant, overconfident and idiotic way at every given opportunity, Oscar was establishing a promotions company, giving interviews in which he cast boxing in a positive light, and sold the sport to the wider world.
The Golden Boy was all about getting the big numbers, the mainstream coverage, the sporting accolades, he wasn’t just about the money, he wanted the biggest fights against the best opponents, because he knew that they were the fights the wider world wanted to see, and that the media wanted to talk about.
Was Oscar versus Pacquiao or Mayweather what the hardcore fans, accustomed to the intricacies of the sport, wanted to see? More often than not, the answer is no. But these events where good for boxing as a whole, during a period when the sport was mostly being ignored by the media, Oscar made the major networks shine a light in its general direction.
While a ten time, six weight, World Champion like Oscar deserves immense praise for his achievements inside the ring, it is outside the ring where Oscar carried boxing on his back, when there were no names left but his. He established Golden Boy Promotions as the premier promotions company and with it he became the most powerful man in boxing. He was The Golden Boy from East LA who attracted the biggest numbers, the most money and the widest possible coverage for an ailing sport, and for these facts alone, every boxing fan should wholeheartedly thank the heroic Oscar De La Hoya for his contribution and congratulate him on his numerous and immeasurable achievements.
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